Catherine
Diamond of Sweden
Sweden, 1435
January 1, 1435
I am so excited!! The new years banquet is coming, and I am only halfway ready, because I just had to write in you, dear diary. I am glad that my mother thought of this wonderful gift. It was a new years present but instead of waiting for the banquet, she gave it to me this morning. She said, "Write in this little book your dreams, thoughts, and achievements here. Let none read it, as it is to be a place just for you and your secret thoughts."
Anyway, I am going to try. Oh! I have found the perfect gown. It is scarlet, and made of velvet. It will go well with my sapphire pendant!
January 2
Yesterday was magnificent! I have never seen so much food in my life! It was all delicious. Best of all, there were no ambassadors there either. I wouldn't mind marrying, but I don't want to marry a pig.
Today we children (meaning my 4 sisters and I) got back to our lessons. Since I am 2 years older than my oldest sister, I get private lessons with my tutor, Master Romus. I admit though, today my mind was not on the lessons. Instead I was thinking about our hierarchy. Since I am the oldest, I am in first in line for the throne, but if my mother has another baby, a boy, the boy would be King before me. The reason of my thoughts is because my mother became with child last night. Oh, how I hope it is another girl. I love all my sisters, but I love some more deeply than others. No, I have lied. I don't love all of them. Let me tell you about them. The oldest, Katrina, is a sweet angelic little thing. She likes to sew and weave. She is very obedient, unlike me; she does not care who she marries, unlike me.
My next sister is a selfish, greedy, nasty, and mean. She is beautiful though. Her name is Harmony. A bad name for her, I think. Harmony has curly black hair, and just as black eyes. She is 12, the same age as Katrina. I don't hate her, but I dislike her immensely.
The second youngest is named Maria. She has straight, jet black hair, and silver eyes. I think she's gorgeous. She is ten, and my favorite sister. She likes to read and write, as I do, and she never wants to marry. She told me she would join a convent if she had to. I think she is very brave. Harmony hates her. She hates me to, so that's another way Maria and I are alike.
Finally, the youngest sister, Alice, is 8 years old and as sweet as can be. She takes after Katrina. She likes it when I read to her out loud. She has beautiful, gold hair and adorable blue eyes. I love her.
Oh! Master Romus is coming. I have to pretend I'm working! Goodbye!
Later
Romus didn't catch me, thank goodness. He just needed to tell me that my father wanted to see me after lessons. I wonder what about??
Even later
Ughh. Father wanted to see me about a possible engagement, to Prince Arnold, in Germany. I told father I'd consider it. From what I've heard about him he is an ugly and repulsive person who sprays spit when he talks. I will NOT marry such a man. I shall tell father no.
January 4
I told him no. Oh, he was in a rage when I told him. Maybe I should have picked a different time. Well, at least my father wasn't mad at me for long, but he still wants me to marry the pig. I meet him in two months. On the 1st of March. Oh, how I dread the day.
January 5
Harmony played a nasty trick today. She told her best friend, Thomas, to put a huge, furry spider in my sandwich that I was to have for our luncheon. I almost ate it! No one knows who it was, but it just has to be Harmony. I asked the chef if he had seen Thomas near the food, and he said that he had. That proves it more. I despise Thomas.
January 7
I was right! It was Harmony! Mother punished her. No food for a week. At least, not much. Good. Harmony deserves it. Today, Maria and I went to the meadow to make Daisy chains, and I made one that was 7 feet long!
January 9
Oh, I just detest Harmony! She crushed my daisy chain yesterday! Here is what happened. Maria and I were hanging the daisy chains up in my room, when Harmony barged in. She started yelling about how Mother wouldn't pay any attention to her. We told her to calm down, and in a rage, she pulled down my daisy chain and stomped on it, then ran from the room. Poor Mother. She is with child, and all Harmony can do is complain and fuss. I have an awful sister.
January 10
Rain, rain, and more rain. Nothing to do other than sit and embroider.
January 19
It finally stopped raining, and started snowing, so I have been outside all day sledding and skating with Katrina and Maria. We taught Alice how to steer the sled, and once she had mastered it, she refused to stop until it was very dark out. We fear she will catch pneumonia.
January 22
Alice has indeed caught pneumonia! We are all very worried. Katrina won't leave her side, and I have been reading books to her. I pray that she will live.
January 27
She will live! Thank goodness!
Diamond of Sweden
Sweden, 1435
January 1, 1435
I am so excited!! The new years banquet is coming, and I am only halfway ready, because I just had to write in you, dear diary. I am glad that my mother thought of this wonderful gift. It was a new years present but instead of waiting for the banquet, she gave it to me this morning. She said, "Write in this little book your dreams, thoughts, and achievements here. Let none read it, as it is to be a place just for you and your secret thoughts."
Anyway, I am going to try. Oh! I have found the perfect gown. It is scarlet, and made of velvet. It will go well with my sapphire pendant!
January 2
Yesterday was magnificent! I have never seen so much food in my life! It was all delicious. Best of all, there were no ambassadors there either. I wouldn't mind marrying, but I don't want to marry a pig.
Today we children (meaning my 4 sisters and I) got back to our lessons. Since I am 2 years older than my oldest sister, I get private lessons with my tutor, Master Romus. I admit though, today my mind was not on the lessons. Instead I was thinking about our hierarchy. Since I am the oldest, I am in first in line for the throne, but if my mother has another baby, a boy, the boy would be King before me. The reason of my thoughts is because my mother became with child last night. Oh, how I hope it is another girl. I love all my sisters, but I love some more deeply than others. No, I have lied. I don't love all of them. Let me tell you about them. The oldest, Katrina, is a sweet angelic little thing. She likes to sew and weave. She is very obedient, unlike me; she does not care who she marries, unlike me.
My next sister is a selfish, greedy, nasty, and mean. She is beautiful though. Her name is Harmony. A bad name for her, I think. Harmony has curly black hair, and just as black eyes. She is 12, the same age as Katrina. I don't hate her, but I dislike her immensely.
The second youngest is named Maria. She has straight, jet black hair, and silver eyes. I think she's gorgeous. She is ten, and my favorite sister. She likes to read and write, as I do, and she never wants to marry. She told me she would join a convent if she had to. I think she is very brave. Harmony hates her. She hates me to, so that's another way Maria and I are alike.
Finally, the youngest sister, Alice, is 8 years old and as sweet as can be. She takes after Katrina. She likes it when I read to her out loud. She has beautiful, gold hair and adorable blue eyes. I love her.
Oh! Master Romus is coming. I have to pretend I'm working! Goodbye!
Later
Romus didn't catch me, thank goodness. He just needed to tell me that my father wanted to see me after lessons. I wonder what about??
Even later
Ughh. Father wanted to see me about a possible engagement, to Prince Arnold, in Germany. I told father I'd consider it. From what I've heard about him he is an ugly and repulsive person who sprays spit when he talks. I will NOT marry such a man. I shall tell father no.
January 4
I told him no. Oh, he was in a rage when I told him. Maybe I should have picked a different time. Well, at least my father wasn't mad at me for long, but he still wants me to marry the pig. I meet him in two months. On the 1st of March. Oh, how I dread the day.
January 5
Harmony played a nasty trick today. She told her best friend, Thomas, to put a huge, furry spider in my sandwich that I was to have for our luncheon. I almost ate it! No one knows who it was, but it just has to be Harmony. I asked the chef if he had seen Thomas near the food, and he said that he had. That proves it more. I despise Thomas.
January 7
I was right! It was Harmony! Mother punished her. No food for a week. At least, not much. Good. Harmony deserves it. Today, Maria and I went to the meadow to make Daisy chains, and I made one that was 7 feet long!
January 9
Oh, I just detest Harmony! She crushed my daisy chain yesterday! Here is what happened. Maria and I were hanging the daisy chains up in my room, when Harmony barged in. She started yelling about how Mother wouldn't pay any attention to her. We told her to calm down, and in a rage, she pulled down my daisy chain and stomped on it, then ran from the room. Poor Mother. She is with child, and all Harmony can do is complain and fuss. I have an awful sister.
January 10
Rain, rain, and more rain. Nothing to do other than sit and embroider.
January 19
It finally stopped raining, and started snowing, so I have been outside all day sledding and skating with Katrina and Maria. We taught Alice how to steer the sled, and once she had mastered it, she refused to stop until it was very dark out. We fear she will catch pneumonia.
January 22
Alice has indeed caught pneumonia! We are all very worried. Katrina won't leave her side, and I have been reading books to her. I pray that she will live.
January 27
She will live! Thank goodness!